e
so well there as had been looked for. Forsooth it had been that lord's
will and meaning that all folks in Goldburg should thrive, both those
who wrought and those for whom they wrought. But it went not so, but
there were many poor folk there, and few wealthy.

Again said Clement that though the tillers and toilers of Goldburg were
not for the most part mere thralls and chattels, as in the lands beyond
the mountains behind them, yet were they little more thriving for that
cause; whereas they belonged not to a master, who must at worst feed
them, and to no manor, whose acres they might till for their
livelihood, and on whose pastures they might feed their cattle; nor had
they any to help or sustain them against the oppressor and the violent
man; so that they toiled and swinked and died with none heeding them,
save they that had the work of their hands good cheap; and they
forsooth heeded them less than their draught beasts whom they must
needs buy with money, and whose bellies they must needs fill; whereas
these poor wretches were slaves without a price, and if one died
another took his place on the chance that thereby he might escape
present death by hunger, for there was a great many of them.

CHAPTER 28

Now They Come to Goldburg

That night they slept yet amongst the mountains, or rather in the first
of the hill country at their feet; but on the morrow they rode down
into the lowlands, and thereby lost all sight of Goldburg, and it was
yet afar off, so that they rode four days through lands well-tilled,
but for the most part ill-housed, a country of little hills and hollows
and rising grounds, before they came in sight of it again heaving up
huge and bright under the sun. It was built partly on three hills, the
buttresses of a long ridge which turned a wide river, and on the ridge
itself, and partly on the flat shore of the river, on either side,
hillward and plainward: but a great white wall girt it all about, which
went right over the river as a bridge, and on the plain side it was
exceeding high, so that its battlements might be somewhat evened with
those of the hill-wall above. So that as they came up to the place
they saw little of the town because of the enormity of the wall; scarce
aught save a spire or a tall towering roof here and there.

So when they were come anigh the gate, they displayed their banners and
rode right up to it; and people thronged the walls to see their riding.
One by one